Complete NCAA Release

INDIANAPOLIS — Gonzaga Athletics posted the highest Academic Progress Rate (APR) in the West Coast Conference with a score of 996, according to data released by the NCAA on this week.

Gonzaga's multi-year average of 996 was nine points above the league average of 987 and 13 points above the NCAA average of 983. Of GU's 15 APR-eligible teams, nine posted perfect 1,000 scores in the APR's multi-year average, which is a combined mark of reported data from each of the past four completed academic years.

"These achievements continue to be attained by hard work from a combination of our student-athletes and the team of support from faculty, staff and coaches," Director of Athletics Mike Roth said. "We strive for excellence in the classroom and our student-athletes continue to impress us with their dedication, while representing Gonzaga in all the right ways."

Six Gonzaga programs have posted at least six straight years of perfect 1,000 scores, led by women's cross country and track with nine straight 1,000s. Women's tennis and men's cross country and track have had seven each, while men's golf and women's basketball have had six in a row. GU's volleyball and men's soccer programs each started a new streak this year with a perfect 1,000 as well.

The men's soccer and men's track teams were in elite company in terms of the number of programs in those respective sports achieving a perfect score. Men's soccer was one of only 19 teams nationally to earn a 1,000, while men's track was one of only 21 teams nationally.

Instituted in 2004, the Academic Progress Rate (APR) program is a 1,000-point scale representing an institution's retention and maintenance of their scholarship student-athletes' academic eligibility and citizenship. APR rates are calculated every semester and are attached not only to institutions, but also to individual head coaches. The NCAA currently uses an APR score of 930 as its cut-off for acceptable retention and graduation of student-athletes; schools falling under that standard may be subject to NCAA penalties ranging from scholarship limits and/or reductions to potential elimination of postseason play opportunities.